Plane could be shot down due to betrayal of air traffic controllers

One version of the destruction of a Ukrainian military transport aircraft in Luhansk with 49 servicemen on board is a betrayal on the part of air traffic controllers.

Ukraine's acting Defense Minister Mykhailo Koval said this live on the Ukraina television channel.

"The criminals who fired at this plane were very well prepared. This crime was prepared professionally. There could be a betrayal among air traffic controllers who tracked the flight. Militants wanted to shot down the plane as two missiles were launched and fire was opened with a large-caliber machine gun to destroy the aircraft," Channel 5 quoted Koval as saying.

As reported, terrorists shot down an Il-76 military transport aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Force when it attempted to land at Luhansk airport on June 14. All 49 servicemen who were on board the plane were killed.